Traditions Lunch – Joel Cowley ’95, President & CEO, Houston Rodeo

Traditions Lunch – Joel Cowley ’95, President & CEO of the Houston Rodeo

Sponsored by Brent Vannoy ’88, Partner, Hughes Watters Askanase

Date: 2nd Monday, January 13, 2020             

Time: 11:30 Networking, Lunch from Noon to 1 p.m.

Where: Grotto, 4715 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77027

Cost: $25 covers both lunch and dessert

Parking: valet or complimentary

Joel Cowley ’95 – President & CEO of the Houston Rodeo

Joel Cowley serves as the president and CEO of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, where he is
responsible for the efforts of 35,000 volunteers and 120 full-time staff in conducting a 23-day event that
draws more than 34,000 livestock show entries and an annual attendance of more than 2.5 million.

He began working at the Show in 2005 as the Executive Director of Agricultural Exhibits and
Competitions and was promoted to president and CEO in 2013. His prior experience includes working in
the food service and international divisions at Certified Angus Beef LLC, serving as an extension beef
cattle specialist at Michigan State University, and coaching the senior livestock judging team at Texas
A&M University.

Cowley has been active on numerous boards, including the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors
Bureau, the Texas 4-H Foundation, the Texas FFA Foundation, the University of Houston Bauer College
of Business, and the Super Bowl LI Community Council. He was named the 2017 Executive
Communicator of the Year by the Houston Chapter of the International Association of Business
Communicators.

He holds an associate’s degree in agricultural education from Northeastern Junior College, a bachelor’s
degree in animal science from Colorado State University, a master’s degree in animal science from Texas
A&M University, and an MBA from Michigan State University.

Cowley resides in Richmond, Texas, with his wife Tammy. They have two daughters, both college
students.